New York Jets Trade Superstar Cornerback at the Deadline
The New York Jets have made a tsunami-sized wave at the NFL trade deadline. The team has dealt their young superstar cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets received two first-round picks and receiver A.D. Mitchell in the deal. Indianapolis receives a major piece in a year that they look poised to go on a run.
The deal was first broken by Gardner himself, tweeting out “New York it’s been real” with a green heart. Fans originally thought it was a joke, but the news was confirmed just a few minutes later by Ian Rappaport. The trade immediately sparked debate between Jets fans on whether or not they got enough for their 25 year-old superstar, who had just signed a long-term deal back in July. It was presumed that he would be on the team for the foreseeable future, but just over three months into his new deal, Gardner is out of New York.
From the New York Jets’ perspective, it would appear that they’re basically punting on the season, selling high on young players like Sauce. This does make sense, since the team is 1-7 and essentially out of playoff contention for the 15th year in a row. If that’s their intent, then this trade makes sense. The team now has two first-rounders for the next two years, and they can use that to presumably surround their young quarterback that they will likely pick in the draft this year. Woody Johnson, for all of his flaws, knows that the NFL is a quarterback-driven league. He has been obsessed with finding the crown jewel of the league, a franchise quarterback. With the Jets now making this move, Darren Mougey can use these extra picks to ensure that a Jets quarterback finally develops. The team also acquired former second-round pick A.D. Mitchell in the trade. Mitchell is a young player with plenty of untapped potential, and if he works out could be a major find for New York. Without a good quarterback, no roster or coaching staff is going very far, and this move is another step in New York trying to ensure that this next quarterback can finally end their cycle of futility.
